Commissioner Leads Cheers

The Orlando Predators Are Fired Up For The Season, And So Is The Afl's Boss.

January 27, 2004|By Shannon Shelton, Sentinel Staff Writer

All David Baker wants is a few minutes of your time.

That's how the Arena Football League commissioner got the support of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who he said gave him 15 minutes to make his pitch a few years ago. That turned into three hours and the NFL decided to latch on to the AFL's rising star.

But Baker's approach doesn't come across like that of a slick salesman, but more of a plainspoken traveling preacher -- albeit in an imposing 6-foot-9, almost 400-pound figure -- spreading the gospel of Arena Football.

Orlando was his latest stop. The commissioner was in town Monday to talk to the media and participate in an Orlando Predators-sponsored banquet at the TD Waterhouse Centre. Baker touted the league's growth and encouraged potential investors of the viability of AFL franchises, while Predators president and owner Brett Bouchy noted some of the marketing highlights that took place during the off-season.

"There isn't a league out there that's grown faster than the AFL," Baker said. "We're no longer competing with Major League Soccer or the Women's United Soccer Association. Not to put down leagues like that, but we're approaching levels like NASCAR."

Since his arrival in 1996, Baker has overseen the league's exponential growth and transformation from a small-market fringe league to one increasingly coveted by large markets while still maintaining a sense of fan approachability.

The AFL has increased to a total of 19 teams -- three starting up this year -- and includes owners as diverse as former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway (Colorado Crush), rock star Jon Bon Jovi (Philadelphia Soul) and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (Dallas Desperados). One of the newest AFL franchises, the Austin Wranglers, had a price tag of $16.2 million -- the highest selling price in league history. An AFL team about seven years ago could be had for $400,000.

The Predators had their own numbers to celebrate. Bouchy said that season-ticket sales hit the 9,000 mark that day and his reasearch of Nielsen ratings showed positive numbers for Arena Football viewership in Central Florida.

Regular-season AFL games averaged a 1.96 in Central Florida, compared to a 2.07 for the NBA and 0.89 for the NHL. Broken down into games featuring local teams, the Nielsen ratings showed a 3.47 for Orlando Magic games and a 2.79 for the Predators.

"I'm sure the numbers this year are obviously lower," Bouchy said in reference to Magic ratings, which drew chuckles from the crowd.

The Predators end training camp Saturday and the season begins Feb. 8 with a road game against the Tampa Bay Storm.